E-Photos!!

As I promised, here are a few of the gazillion photos that Rolf took of B and me. My Aunt S drove the four of us around the farm and we jumped out when ever Rolf saw a good shot.

 We first stopped and took take a stroll through the woods.

 We have the pond in the background.

 I don't usually take very good photos but Rolf was is a genius!

Rolf was switching lenses and when he turned around, B had me lifted on his shoulders. This is something we do whenever we are walking around and feel we need to switch it up. Like I said before, B is a powerlifter.

 I love the light in this one. Even though that isn't my engagement ring, it sure does look good on my finger.

 There was a random patch of daffodils growing in the field, so we stopped to pick a few.

 In front of an old barn that my Aunt had my oldest brother fix up. I just love the look of the old and new wood together.

 Rolf thought my boots were hilarious, so he just had to get a shot of the awesomeness.

A good one of my lovely stud muffin.

This huge oak tree is on my Aunt's property. 

I know that was a lot of pictures, but believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Rolf was so giddy during the whole shoot it was fun and easy to be ourselves. I'm not sure who had more fun during this, Rolf or us? He kept saying we were so serious and he loved it. B and I are pretty serious and few rarely get our jokes, sad days.

If you are in the Charlotte area and you need a photographer for anything, wedding or family photos, I'd totally recommend Rolf for the job. I know he is my cousin, but his work speaks for itself. People have told me that these are the best engagement pictures they have ever seen. He even made me a slide show. I couldn't stop watching in for a few months.

As soon as I saw these pictures, I knew we had our wedding photographer. I called him up immediately and asked him if he'd do the job. He was so glad we loved the pictures and he agreed to do the wedding.

All photos taken by RolfLoken Photography

Documentation

You are probably tired of hearing me say this, but B and I had another easy decision made. You see, I have a cousin. He is the son of my mom's sister's husband from his first marriage. WOW! That was a mouthful. During family gatherings over the past few years, Rolf would take giant group photos of us. I thought it was just because he had a nice camera and an interest. What I didn't know was that he was shadowing and training during his down time to be a photographer.

 How Beautiful is this photo and the lady in it? OMG!

RolfLoken Photography 

So, we are eating together at the meal after my grandfather's funeral service, and he tells me he has a photography business. This got me a little excited and peaked my interest which led me to asking more questions about how he got into it. You see, Rolf is a computer programmer. Photography is his side job/hobby. B and I had yet to get engaged and there wasn't much talk about the possibility of marriage but Rolf still told me he'd photograph my wedding if I wanted (and I'd get the family discount).

Rolf's brother, my cousin, got married the next October and I got to see the photos that he did for the wedding as well as other weddings. They were amazing! I was so excited about the possibilities. Soon after B and I got engaged, I called Rolf and asked him if he would take some engagement photos. He was super excited and had so many ideas. We decided that the next time he was coming up to visit his parents (who live down the road from the farm) he'd give me a call and we'd have a photo shoot.

My cousin E and his new bride - RolfLoken Photography

Rolf called and said he was coming home for Easter and he'd bring his equipment and we'd take photos around the farm and on his parent's property. AWESOME! I was so excited. B doesn't like his photo taken and he usually makes weird faces so I was a bit nervous about whether or not he'd participate. One day we had a little tiff and he felt bad about it so I took the opportunity to let him know I wanted an engagement photo session and it would make me super happy if he'd agree to it. He said yes, and he would even shave for it! YEAH!!

Next up... E-Photo Session!

Are you using family for some vendors? Does this have you worried?

Quest for the Dress

After our trip to DC and being super disappointed with how all the Aria dresses made me look, I didn't look forward to future dress shopping. It didn't help that I had over a year to procrastinate finding one either.

My sister has always been my style guru. So whose opinion did I want the most on dresses? MOH P. She knows my personality and always looks at the things I don't. For instance, she reminded me that the guests will be looking at the back of the dress throughout most of the ceremony and I would want that to be flattering as well.

During a trip to VA Beach to visit P and to go to the B&D concert, we decided to take some of the free time for dress shopping. We looked up some local dress shops P knew of as well as David's Bridal. We hit the road to the first shop. Nothing. All the dresses looked like they were from the 80s or early 90s. They were all covered with beads and sequins. As you could probably tell from the Aria dress, I wanted something simple and plain. We quickly left the store without trying on a single dress.

We then decided to bite the bullet and go to David's Bridal. I originally didn't want a dress from this store because the quality tends to not compare to designer gowns. P reminded me I would be wearing my dress one day and then never again. Why pay big bucks for a dress? So we made an appointment and pulled some dresses that fit what I was looking for. They were all strapless, plain, and simple.

 

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These are just a few I tried on. These dresses did all the same thing, make me look wide. So we decided since all the strapless dresses were making my waist disappear, I had to scratch that requirement off my list. The third dress shown was fun, but my curves (and boy do I have them), were accentuated by the mermaid/trumpet style. So that was a no go as well. The lady assisting us was so helpful. She pulled a few dresses that she thought would look good on me. We tried the tank top look and boy did it look good. This particular dress gave the girls va-va-voom. I now had a waist. While I looked great in this dress from the front, the back of the dress looked cheap. This was not what I was going for.

The lady helping brought her favorite dress for me to try on and even though there were things about it I liked, like the lace detail and the straps, there was too much sparkle going on. Since I liked the lace, she decided to get the other lace dress in a similar style for me to try on.

 

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When I first put it on and stood in the mirror, I wasn't over come with a feeling of This is It. The dress has a sash that is covered in beads, and in my opinion, it looks tacky. Also, I felt the dress didn't show the curves very well. But as the lady showed us, there was room to take it in up top and make it more fitting, and the sash could be removed and a colored sash put in its place. This made all the difference.

Forgive the bump in the belly region. The strapless corset I was in was bulky. The real winning factor for this dress was the back. It was stunning. The circle the lace makes around my back is gorgeous. Also, this dress didn't have the cheap look as the other one did.

It was at this point we decided I would wear a birdcage veil and have my hair up. We also decided on the theme of the wedding.

Was your dress shopping experience what you expected? Did you choose a dress that had everything you planned it would?

All pictures are personal photos unless otherwise noted

XX Chromosomes

I realized today that I had yet to introduce you to my bridesmaids. There are five lovely ladies who will be standing by me at the alter. I have felt their love and support through the entire planning process as well as in my everyday life. They have been a shoulder to cry on and a kick in the butt to get me started on projects. I can't thank them enough for being there for me and being apart of our wedding.

 Maid of Honor / Sister: P

Brooks and Dunn Last Rodeo Concert 2010 - MOH P on the left

P is my sister who is 9 years older than I. We shared a room from the time I was born till my oldest brother moved out to CA. I can honestly say I wouldn't be where I am today without her. She helped raise me because wherever she went, I went. Whatever she did, I wanted to do too. P has been a tremendous help to me throughout the whole planning process. She was the first person I got to share the news with and she was with me when I bought my dress. MOH P is in the navy and has 2 beautiful kids who are in the wedding.

Bridesmaid: E

 BM E

E is Ben's sister who is two years younger than us. Ben taught her all he knew and this led to her being so smart (this is what B and E tell me all the time). E now lives in the same city as we do and so we get to hang out with her pretty often. This past weekend she helped us pick out the groomsmen wedding outfits. E has readily accepted me as family and I really appreciate all she does. Especially helping me keep B sane, and believe me, it isn't easy. E is always there with a joke to lighten the mood. She will have her camera at the ready at all the pre-wedding events as well as at the wedding since she is such a wonderful photographer and starting her business. Yeah, lots of pictures!

Bridesmaid: B

Wine Tasting Festival - 2010 (B on right)

 

B is my best friend since 2nd grade. She and I have been through thick and thin together. She and her family took me in for a week when my dad had a heart attack when we were in 6th grade. When I moved to my hometown school in 7th grade, B and I began to loose touch. We then ran into each other in passing when we both ended up at JMU. She and I can call each other and blow off steam about stupid undergrads and how our projects aren't working. She is pursuing her PhD in Biology. B has helped me put some decorations together but best of all, she helped me make a To-Do list. It may not seem like much, but it helped my sanity!

Bridesmaid: K

BM K and husband J sitting on the porch at their home in SC

 

I have known K the longest of all of my friends since we went to preschool together. I distinctly remember going to her house for a birthday party way back when. When I moved to schools in the next town over (where I met BM B) we lost touch and only saw each other during GATE trips. Once I came back to my hometown schools, K quickly accepted me into her circle of friends where we had tea parties, sleep overs, and dips in her pool. During high school, K and I had most of our classes together and were even debate partners. K even joined the after school choir our senior year so she could go to Chicago with BM H and I for our senior trip. It was awesome! K and her husband, J, live in SC currently because her husband entered seminary this past fall. I was able to help them move and get settled which has been my job the past 2 times they moved. When they were planning the move, J told K that I had to do the kitchen because I organized their first kitchen so well. Even though she is so far away, K wants to help me with wedding projects. So we decided I'll mail her the stuff to make the favors so I can check it off my list.

Bridesmaid: H

BM H and her family

BM H tells me we were on the soccer team together when we were in first grade. I don't remember much of this except for never winning a game and getting my only bloody nose. But she has pictures to prove it. H's mom and my mom worked together when we were in 8th grade and so when our mom's got together, so did we. My first semester of high school I spent in Denmark and the only one of my friends to keep in contact with me was H. I never forgot that. She kept me filled in on all the events I was missing, like Homecoming. When I returned, I quickly found H at school and we were inseparable since. I spent so many nights at her house, traveling to see her grandparents, shopping, etc. Now she is married, has two children, and a full time job to keep her busy. I still go visit her every chance I get and I always leave in a much better mood than when I came. She is truly the sweetest person I know!

I am probably lucky in that it was so easy to choose who to have as my bridesmaids. I consider myself a person with a lot of friends but I have a few who are the best of the best and have been there from the beginning.

All pictures are personal photos or have been stolen from their facebook (haha)

Dresses and Economics, part II

In the last post I told you about the color of the dresses my bridesmaids will wear: Black.

Some people think wearing black to a wedding is bad luck, but I think it is classic.

I first knew I wanted my ladies to wear knee length cocktail dresses since the wedding is in June and since shorter dresses are easier to wear again. My next task was to find dresses that would look good on all of my ladies and be in a price range I felt comfortable asking them to shell out. I was thinking of choosing a line of dresses that are all the same fabric and skirt style with different choices of tops. I knew some of the girls wouldn't feel comfortable in a strapless dress while others would prefer it. So I was hoping for some affordable options.

While leafing through wedding magazines, I came across one line of dresses (by After Six) that I fell in love with:

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One problem with these dresses was the price tag. Although not very expensive, $144, they were still more than I was willing to ask people who are on tight budgets to shell out. So I kept looking. And looking. And looking. I found nothing that compared to these beauties.

I then decided I didn't need to find dresses for them. They could find their own dress. All my ladies enjoy shopping and some of them may already have a dress in their closet that would do the job. I have seen pictures of bridesmaids in mismatched dresses and I love it.

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I called all my bridesmaids and they loved the idea (except my sister). My sister hasn't been looking at blogs and magazines and websites, etc. like I have. She hasn't seen images as beautiful as the one above. Her concern was that we wouldn't look uniform enough. I reassured her that it would look great and I thought that if they got to choose a dress themselves, they could spend as much as they want, maybe find one on sale, and they would wear it again.

So far 3 of my 5 ladies have their dress (all with the price between $0 and $50 so far). Two of the dresses are even designer. I am so excited since they each match their personalities perfectly. Once they all have their dresses I'll write another post telling you all about them. I promise!

What made you decide on how to dress your bridesmaids? Did you choose matching dresses or did you let their personalities shine?

Dresses and Economics, part I

So far I have been 3 times a bridesmaid. First, I was my sister's maid of honor when I was 15. I wore a long hunter green tank top style dress. My mom paid for it but I remember it being from Chadwicks catalog and being about $80. Not too shabby for a bridesmaid dress. I wore this to another wedding and my exchange student wore it to a homecoming dance.

Friend H and I just before K's wedding - 2005

Next I was a bridesmaid in my friend K's wedding in 2005. We wore ~$120 knee light blue length strapless dresses that I loved but have only worn again once or twice. I still own this dress and should probably see if it still fits, hmmm. Three years later I was the maid of honor in my friend H's wedding and I wore a $120 light blue knee length spaghetti strap dress. I was never able to wear this dress again because mice destroyed it when I was living in a really old house during my undergrad. Errr!

So having been in 3 weddings I knew I wanted to keep the cost of dresses low and choose a color that the girls would have the chance to wear over and over and over again. I for instance didn't want to choose dresses like:

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When I was in elementary or middle school I attended a wedding where the bridesmaids wore simple black dresses and right then and there I knew what I wanted. The look was classic and stunning. I couldn't get the picture of my ladies in little black dresses out of my mind.

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I want amazing pictures with my girls such as this one above. How cute is that pic? All the lovely ladies out there know that an important addition to their wardrobe is a little black dress. It is essential. They can be worn to weddings, funerals, dinner parties, out on a nice date. I think they are so useful that I have about 4 little black dresses in my closet.

The next plan of action is choosing a dress.

How did you choose your bridesmaid dresses? Did you keep the cost in mind? Did you keep the girls skin tone in mind?

personal photos unless otherwise noted

The Easiest Decision Ever!

Some brides start planning their wedding and have all their decisions made very easily, like there was no stress involved at all. Now I know these ladies are few a far between. Come on, no stress when planning the event of your lifetime? Please!

I would venture to guess that most brides stress over most every detail that relates to their wedding. I tend to fall into this category, except with one decision. The colors.

Everyone who knows me knows what my favorite color is (luckily for me it is B's favorite too). I'd go on a limb and say I wear some variation of this color everyday, somehow. I am obsessed with the color:

RED

Red has been my favorite color ever since I can remember. My favorite colors to combine with it are black and white. When I was in 8th grade I had every variation of color combination in shoes. I had White with red detail. Red with white detail. Black with red and white. You get the picture.

So what would my color choices be? Red, Black and White. I am choosing to use the black a bit more subtly in the decorations since we are having our wedding in June and I don't want to weigh the look down.  

Did you know there are different variations of red? Some of my friends didn't. My particular obsession happens to be with blue reds. As you may have been able to tell in the pictures of me, I am white. I am the whitest person I know. My skin is basically translucent and you can see all my veins at different points on my body. My lack of pigment puts me in the Cool Tone category. Anything with orange tones in it washes me out and this includes red-oranges. 

Let me show you some proof of my obsession:

Summer 2008 - National Zoo - Me sitting on a bear wearing a red and white polka dot dress with black sandals

 

Friends and me (right) at a Carrie Underwood concert 2010 - Red tank and black sweater

  Cruise in St. Thomas 2010 - red had, red bathing suit

When my friend H got engaged and I went with her and her parent's to David's Bridal to find her wedding dress, her mom was picking out wedding dresses for me. They all had red with embroidery or sashes. Too funny!

Do you have an obsession that has found its way into your wedding?

All pictures are personal photos.